Spades is one of the most beloved trick-taking card games in America, and for good reason. It’s easy enough for beginners yet strategic enough to keep veterans coming back for decades. After teaching dozens of people how to play Spades, I’ve learned exactly what makes the difference between confusion and “let’s play another round!”
Quick Answer: Spades is a 4-player partnership card game where teams bid on how many “tricks” they’ll win. Spades are always trump. The team that meets their bid scores points; failing costs you. First team to 500 points wins.
What You Need to Play Spades
- Players: 4 (in two partnerships sitting across from each other)
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
- Time: 30-60 minutes per game
- Pen and paper: For keeping score
Partners sit across from each other. You and your partner work together but cannot discuss your hands or strategy during play.
Card Rankings in Spades
From highest to lowest within each suit:
A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
The key rule: Spades are always trump. This means any spade beats any card of another suit. A 2 of spades beats an Ace of hearts.
How to Deal in Spades
- Choose a dealer (draw cards; highest deals first)
- Shuffle the deck thoroughly
- Deal cards one at a time, clockwise
- Each player receives 13 cards
- The entire deck is dealt — no cards left over
The dealer rotates clockwise after each hand.
Bidding in Spades
Before play begins, each player bids how many tricks they expect to win. This is where strategy really kicks in.
How Bidding Works
- Starting with the player left of the dealer, each person states their bid
- Bids range from 0 (called “nil”) to 13
- You bid based on the strength of your hand
- Your team’s bids are added together (your “contract”)
- You cannot change your bid once stated
What Makes a Strong Hand?
- High spades (Ace, King, Queen) — almost guaranteed tricks
- Aces in other suits — likely winners unless trumped
- Long suits (5+ cards in one suit) — potential to win multiple tricks
- Short suits (0-1 cards) — opportunities to trump
Pro tip: New players often overbid. Start conservative — you can always exceed your bid (more on “bags” later).
How to Play a Hand of Spades
The Lead
The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick by playing any card except a spade. You cannot lead with spades until they’ve been “broken” (someone plays a spade because they have no cards in the led suit).
Following Suit
After someone leads, all other players must:
- Follow suit if possible (play a card of the same suit)
- If you can’t follow suit, play any card (including spades)
Winning Tricks
- The highest card of the led suit wins the trick
- Unless someone played a spade — then the highest spade wins
- The trick winner leads the next trick
Breaking Spades
Spades are “broken” when a player cannot follow the led suit and plays a spade instead. After spades are broken, anyone can lead with a spade.
Scoring in Spades
Meeting Your Bid
If your team wins at least as many tricks as you bid:
- Score 10 points per bid trick
- Each extra trick (“overtrick” or “bag”) = 1 point
Example: You bid 5 and win 6 tricks = 51 points (50 + 1)
Failing Your Bid (Set)
If your team wins fewer tricks than bid:
- Lose 10 points per bid trick
- Winning some tricks doesn’t help — it’s all or nothing
Example: You bid 5 and win 4 tricks = -50 points
The Bag Penalty
Here’s the twist that adds strategic depth: every 10 bags costs you 100 points.
Bags (overtricks) accumulate across hands. Once you hit 10 bags, you lose 100 points and your bag count resets. This prevents teams from massively underbidding just to be safe.
Nil Bids
A bid of zero is called “nil.” If you successfully win no tricks:
- Your team scores +100 bonus points
- Your partner’s bid is scored normally
If you fail (win any tricks):
- Your team loses 100 points
- Your partner’s bid is still scored normally
Blind nil (bidding nil before looking at your cards) scores +200 if successful, -200 if not. High risk, high reward!
Winning the Game
The first team to reach 500 points wins. If both teams pass 500 in the same hand, the higher score wins.
Some variations play to 300 or 250 for shorter games.
Spades Strategy Tips
Bidding Strategy
- Count sure tricks first — high spades and aces
- Add 1-2 for strong supporting cards (Kings with multiple cards in that suit)
- Consider your partner — if they bid low, you might have more winners
- Don’t overbid — getting set (-50, -60, etc.) hurts more than a few bags
Playing Strategy
- Track spades played — knowing what’s out helps predict tricks
- Don’t waste high cards — if your partner’s winning, throw low
- Lead your partner’s strength if you know it from their bid/play
- Break spades early if you have length in them
- Avoid unnecessary bags — sometimes it’s better to lose a trick
Nil Strategy
- Only bid nil with very weak hands (no spades above 7, few high cards)
- Your partner must “cover” you — win tricks to protect you
- Dump high cards early if possible
- Void a suit quickly so you can discard problem cards
Common Spades Variations
- Jokers High: Add jokers as the two highest spades
- 2 of Clubs Lead: The player with 2♣ always leads first (common in some regions)
- Suicide King: Drawing the King of Hearts results in penalty (house rule)
- Cutthroat Spades: 3-player version where everyone plays individually
- Mirror Spades: Partners swap two cards before play
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play a spade whenever I want?
Only if you cannot follow the led suit, OR if spades have been broken and it’s your lead.
What if I accidentally reveal my cards?
In casual play, just be more careful. In serious games, those cards might be “exposed” and playable by other players.
Can I talk to my partner about our hands?
No! Communication about cards is against the rules. You can only share information through your bids and plays.
What’s the minimum bid?
Zero (nil) is the minimum. There’s no “passing” in standard Spades — everyone must bid something.
Can both partners bid nil?
Yes! Called “double nil,” both partners must avoid winning any tricks. Very risky but can swing games.
Ready to Deal?
Spades rewards both skill and partnership. The more you play with the same partner, the better you’ll read each other’s style. Start with a few practice rounds where everyone shows their cards and explains their thinking — it’s the fastest way to learn.
Looking for more classic card games to master? Check out our guides on board game night ideas and games that won’t cause arguments!
